


Mercury in the Blood

by Yung_Mofftiss (OnWednesdaysWeStudyinPink)



Series: Death Bingo [4]
Category: Fringe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-14
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-14 22:49:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/842261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnWednesdaysWeStudyinPink/pseuds/Yung_Mofftiss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Olivia finally snaps. Prompt: Execution (double tap), a Holiday giftfic for greex3red</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mercury in the Blood

In the back of the lab by Gene's stall are metal cages built for hosting large animals that are intended to be tested upon, the iron bars heavy and the walls thick. Dark and cold, the cages haven't been used since William Bell and Walter Bishop experimented for Kelvin Genetics empty for over twenty years, their last inhabitants being strange abominations that should have never been created. Cowering in the farthest back point of the metal are two scared humans, hiding in the shadows, trying not to breathe.

Out by a sensory deprivation tank that once held Olivia Dunham is a body, bloody and abdomen torn open, the entrails pulled out and left in scattered pile on the cold concrete. It's Peter and his green eyes are glassy and staring off at an undefined point on the north wall. One of his arms is pulled back as if someone had tried moving him, but stopped abruptly.

A purple leather purse has been abandoned by the coat tree, two tubes of lipgloss and a cellphone spilling out next to a wallet as though dropped quite suddenly. It’s Astrid’s purse and when the laboratory door opens slowly, it’s pushed across the floor, the soft leather scratching on the concrete. To the opposite side of the door is a fallen plastic cup of Slusho, the red drink melted across the floor.

Walter and Astrid cling to each other a little tighter, holding their breath as they hear light footsteps and the door to the lab shut. Their view with is obscured by the heavy iron bars and the other assorted lab equipment, but they know who it is. Astrid is still a junior agent, so she hasn’t been assigned her own firearm to carry with her yet, just the one for use when she’s out in the field and that’s back at the office. Here at the lab they are vulnerable and defenseless.

“Walter? Astrid?” Olivia calls out softly. “Come out, come out wherever you are.”

* * *

Astrid and Walter arrive back at the laboratory, chattering away the way they do when they see Peter lying on the floor of the lab disemboweled, though miraculously still alive, however faintly. Astrid drops her purse and Walter his drink, both rushing over to the man’s side.

“Peter!” Walter sobs.

“Who did this?” Astrid cries, taking his hand as they kneel next to him.

It’s apparent he’s been shot in the chest as well, but apparently the wound hasn’t been fatal but disabling. Peter’s eyes shift to her as Walter touches his son’s intestines fearfully.

“Olivia…” Peter hisses, a small rivet of bloody spittle running out of his mouth. “She’s snapped, a psychotic break. She's executing everyone, trying to find the rest of the shapeshifters. She thinks it’s  _us_.”

Astrid’s head jerks around to look behind her. “Where is she?”

“She’s out looking for you. But I told her you were in the boiler room, down the hall.” Peter grabs at the front of father’s shirt, his bloody hands in a death grip. “You need to go. You need to get help so you can stop her!”

“Peter, we can’t leave you here!” Astrid protests.

“Go! Go get help!” Peter insists.

But Astrid is frozen in fear. “Peter—“

Walter’s head jerks up, his eyes wide with fear. “Someone’s coming!”

"Olivia..." Peter hisses, pointing back towards the iron cages. "You have to hide. Hide!"

Astrid grabs onto Peter’s hand trying to drag him to shelter with them but Walter stops her frantically, pulling her towards the cages. "No, my dear! She'll see the blood trail! If we can survive, it's only a small step to bringing him back. Leave him!"

* * *

Walter and Astrid hold each other tighter as they listen to the footsteps pause by Peter’s body, wondering what she’s thinking. No doubt she’s seen their fallen drink and purse and no doubt sees that Peter’s body has been moved since she cut him open. Her footsteps quietly pace around the lab, searching them out and Astrid crosses her fingers, hoping to God that they won’t be found.

But soon enough, they see Olivia’s shoes and pant legs come into view, stopping in front of their hidey-hole. The blonde leans down, peeking into the cage and a sunny smile crosses her face when she sees them huddled together.

“There you are,” she says softly, opening the cage’s door.

Olivia pulls out her gun and points it at them. Two rounds in the forehead for Walter and Astrid is screaming like a banshee as the blood splatters across her face, her eyes squeezed shut, still holding tight to him. But she’d stopped soon enough as Olivia executes her the same way.

Tucking her gun back into her holster, Olivia drags the corpses out, Walter by his arms and Astrid by her ankles. She is calm and feels safe. They'll all be okay as long as she makes sure that all the shapeshifters are gone. She pulls up Astrid's sweater and cuts into the young woman's belly, carefully pulling open the skin to examine the guts. Her fingers hold onto the warm, smooth ropes of intestine.

Nope, no mercury. Astrid's okay. She's not a shapeshifter.

She moves over to Walter’s body, pulling open his shirt and running the scalpel down his abdomen, gutting him efficiently. She’d hate for him to be a shapeshifter because he’s tried to take care of her and she thinks he’s funny. Her hands slip into his stomach, grabbing hot organs and slowly she pulls them out, praying they aren’t going to be covered in mercury.

She slumps in relief, a broad smile on her face. Blood. They weren’t shapeshifters. None of the people she trusted and loved were shapeshifters. She pauses though, realising she’s forgotten two very important individuals and takes out her cellphone.

The person picks on the other end picks up after the second ring and Olivia brushes aside a stray lock of blonde hair with her bloody fingers. "Hi, Rachel. Are you and Ella at home?"


End file.
